shaffer



(Nb Model.)

B. 1P. SHAFF'E'R.

0i1 Cup;

No. 243,316. Patented June 21, I881.-

WITNESSES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. SHAFFER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

OIL-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,316, dated June 21,1881.

- Application filed January 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD P. SHAFFER, of thecity of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, haveinvented an Improved Oil-Cup, of which thefollowing is a specification,reference being had to the annexed drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is aplan view of my improved oilcup; Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a plan of the rotary cover-plate. Fig. 4 is a top view of myimproved oil-cup, the cap and covering-plate being removed. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section of my improved oilcup on the line 2 2, Fig. 6. Fig. 6is a vertical central section of my improved oil-cup on the line a; m,Fig. 1.. Fig. 7 is a side view of the changeable feed-tube. Fig.8 is aside view of the central feed-spindle.

My invention relates to an improvement in oil-cups for use for thepurpose of regulating the flow of lubricating fluid to thejournalbearings of locomotive-engines and other machinery; and itconsists in applying to the cup an improved rotary covering-plate, bywhich dust is effectually prevented from entering the oil-reservoir, andthe filling of the same'with lubricant is facilitated.

My invention also consists in an improved means of regulating the supplyof lubricatingfluid to the bearing, consisting of a central feed-spindleprovided with lateral supply-openings of different sizes, which registerwith an opening in the changeable feed-tube which surrounds the spindle,whereby the flow of oil is controlled by causing the opening in thefeedtube to register with any one of the feed-openings while the othersare closed.

My improved oil-cup is represented in the accompanying drawings, inwhich A is the body of the feed-cup, B the threaded boss by which it isattached to the journalcasin g, G the cap, D the rotary covering-plate,H the central feed-spindle, and n the feedtube.

The body of my improved oil-cup may be of any usual shape, forming anoil-reservoir, R, either cast in one piece or provided with a removabletop, I, screwed into the upper end of the cup-body. An opening, m, Figs.4 and 6, is made through the top of the cup for the purpose ofintroducing oil into the reservoir. The top is provided with a centralthreaded hub, e, on which the cap 0, provided with the flange F, isscrewed. An opening, m, Figs. 1 and 6, is made through the flange of thecap, which opening is so located in the flange that when the cap isscrewed down to the shoulder on the hub c it correctly registers withthe opening m in the top I.

Between the flange F and the top of the cup is placed the rotarycovering-plate D, which is provided with an opening, g, Fig. 3, in theproper position to register with the openings m and m through the topand flange. The reservoir may be filled with oil when the parts are inthis position. The covering-plate D can be rotated between the .top ofthe cup and the flange, so that the hole gcan be turned out ofregisterwvith the holes m and m in the top and flange, as represented bydotted circle 9, Fig. 1, for the purpose of closing the cup andexcluding dust therefrom.

The plate D is held in place by friction between the flange and the topof the oil-cup; but to prevent its being turned by thejarring or motionof the machinery a spring, a, Figs.

3 and 4., may be employed. The spring a is fastened to the top, I, andbearing against one of the sides of the curved slot b in thecovering-plateD,prevents itfrom rotating. Notches So in the sides of theslot b, into which a lug on the spring (1 projects, may be employed toassist in holding the plate in place.

' The flow of lubricant through the passage 0, Fig. 6, to the bearing isregulated in the following manner: Through the central hub, e,

on the top I passes thefeed-spindle H, which extends downward throughthe oil-reservoir, and at its lower end, i, is fitted tightly into thebase of the oil-cup, so as to prevent the cs cape of oil from thereservoir, except through the passage 0. The lower end of the spindlemay be provided with an enlarged collar, 19, for this purpose. Theoil-supply passage 0 extends upward through the lower end of the 5spindle to a point above the bottom of the oilreservoir, where itcommunicates with two or more radial openings of different sizes, a o

n o, Fig. 5, which extend outward to the exterior of the spindle. In thedrawings I have shown four of these passages, of different sizes; butany desired number may be employed.

Outside the feed-spindle and fitting closely thereto is placed thechangeable feed-tube n, which is provided near its lower end with asingle opening, o in the proper position to register with the passages oo 'v o. The upper end of the feed-tube is provided with a cross-bar, 3,Figs. 4, 6, and 7, which fits into the radial slots t, Figs. 4 and 8, inthe upper end of the feed-spindle H. When the cross-bar sis placed inthe slots t or t the hole 1' registers with some one of thedifferent-sized passages 41 o o 1 As the hole 1" permits the flow of oilthrough only one of these passages at a time, it will be readilyperceived that by changing the position of the feed-tube the supply ofoil to the hearing may be regulated, and this change is readily effectedby unscrewing the cap 0, lifting up and partly rotating the feed-tube n.The upper end of the feed-spindle between the radial slots t 25 may bestamped with figures or other characters to indicate the rate of feed atwhich the feedtube is set.

A leather washer, d, Fig. 6, may be interposed between the cap and theupper end of the feed spindle and tube, for the purpose of holding themin place.

It will be observed that the feed spindle and tube project sufficientlyabove the top of the hub e to allow of their being readily grasped forthe purpose of removal.

A leather collar may be introducedbetween the bottom of the feed-spindleand the opening made to receive it in the base of the oilcup, to renderthe joint tight and prevent the escape of oil.

It will be noticed that the feed-spindle can be easily removed byunscrewing the cap 0, for the purpose of removing obstructions from thepassages in its lower end.

It is obvious that instead of using the crossbar 8 and radial slots t tthe feed-tube may be secured in place relatively to the feed-spindle bya lug projecting inward from thefeed-tube and entering notches cut inthe side of the feed-spindle.

By placing the opening q in the feed-tube out of register with thefeed-ducts o v o 'v the supply of oil to the hearing may be entirely cutoff.

It is obvious that instead of the circular coverin-g-plate D a swingingcovering-plate having the form of a sector of a circle may be employed.

I hereby disclaim anything shown or described in Patent No. 95,635,October 12, 1869, and Patent No. 174,470, March 7, 1876, as my inventionis designed solely for regulating the flow of oil to a journal orhearing without the employment of steam pressure, and in fact cannot beused with steam.

In my invention, while in use the feed-tube remains stationary, beingprevented from rotating by the cross-bar s and from shifting endwise bythe bottom of the cup and the cap 0, one of the differential feed-openings, which are located in the same plane with the passage r through thefeed-tube and near the bottom of the feed-cup, being always incommunication with the opening 1, so that the oil is continuouslydischarged therethrough.

In my invention, also, there is no valve or other part moved by theaction of steam for the purpose of regulating the flow of lubricant; butmy feed-tube, having once been set with the passage 1' opposite one of lthe differential feed-openings, which can only be done by removing thecap 0, the tlow of oil remains constant, the other feed-openings beingclosed by the feed-tube, so that the rate at which the lubricant is feddepends solely on the size of the feed-openin g used.

I claim- 1. The combination, with an oil-cup having a closed topprovided with opening m, of the screw-cap O and the rotarycovering-plate D, provided with the corresponding openings in and g,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the closed oil-cup A, screw-cap G, rotarycovering-plate D, provided with corresponding openings at m g, and thespring-catch a for securing the covering-plate in difierent positions,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the oil-cup A, feedspindle H, provided withpassage 0 and two ormore different-sized feed-ducts, Q? o, and thechangeable feed-tube it, having perforation 4' located in the same planewith the difl'erential feed-ducts, whereby the flow of lubricant fromthe oil-cup is regulated by the partial rotation of the feed-tube, whichcauses the perforation to register with one of the differentialfeedducts while the others are closed, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

. 4. The combination of the oil-cup A, feedspindle H, having passage 0,two or more different-sized feed-ducts o v, and two or more slots, t t,and the feed-tube it, provided with perforation r, and a lug orcross-bar, s, fitting the slots t or t, to secure the proper relativepositions of the feed-spindle and feed-tube, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

EDWARD P. SHAFFER.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. SELDEN, H. G. PHrLLIPs.

IlO

